Charter school will face planners' scrutiny

By Lyle Moran, lmoran@lowellsun.com

Updated:
01/06/2013 06:36:36 AM EST

LOWELL -- The last time a proposal came before the city's Planning Board for development of the Bradford Industries warehouse site in the Highlands neighborhood, the applicant was unsuccessful in securing the necessary board approvals and litigation ensued.

Lexy Development LLC, which in 2006 proposed building a 128-unit condominium complex at the Middlesex Street property, secured a favorable Land Court decision early the next year, asking the board to reconsider a denial of a special permit for the site.

But after coming back to the board in 2007 and failing once again to secure special-permit approval for a lengthy driveway providing access to the site, the developer gave up on its plan.

Backers of the Lowell Collegiate Charter School, who have proposed building their new school at the Bradford site at 1857 Middlesex St., are hoping for a much smoother interaction with the board and a more favorable ruling.

Those behind the proposal to turn the site into a charter school that would open in the fall of 2013 also say they are well aware of the site's history with the board, but are confident their plan is different enough to secure the necessary board approvals.

The project proponents have focused specifically on making sure the proposal addresses any traffic concerns at the location, with the knowledge that two board members who were opposed to granting the Lexy plan a special permit for the driveway raised traffic issues the last time around.

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Those two members, Chairman Thomas Linnehan and Stephen Gendron, remain on the board. Gendron highlighted at the time his concern about the proposed housing development causing increased traffic in an area so close to the busy and dangerous intersection of Middlesex and Wood streets.

Neighborhood residents have also expressed concern about the traffic impact of a new school.

George Eliades Jr., the attorney for the applicant, Middlesex Partners Limited Partnership, said the traffic plan for the new proposal is a big improvement over Lexy's plan.

Under Lexy's proposal, the entrance and exit would be on the same strip of road, he said.

The school's plan calls for an entrance at the right side of the property at 1857.1 Middlesex St., while its exit would be on the opposite end of the property letting cars back out onto Middlesex Street.

One police officer would direct traffic at both the entrance and exit.

As cars enter the site, there would be a vehicle-stacking plan, with at least one school employee directing the cars to ensure a smooth drop-off. Cars would then be directed in a coordinated fashion to the exit.

The cars would essentially be making an upside down 'U' from the time when they first enter the site, which should ensure smooth flow, said Eliades.

"I think we have come up with a great plan that the public will appreciate," he said.

He pointed out that another difference from the Lexy proposal is that the school will only have two distinct periods during the day when traffic will increase, as opposed to a residential development where people enter and leave at all hours of the day.

Eliades also said the applicant has agreed to make payments to the city to help with the traffic signalization at the Middlesex and Wood streets intersection at the Rourke Bridge.

Some neighbors, including former Mayor Edward "Bud" Caulfield, are expected to make the case the neighborhood already has too much traffic and can't handle anymore, especially with a new Walgreens coming on board at the foot of the Rourke Bridge.

The site-plan public hearing for the site continues Monday at 6:30 p.m. It was continued after a lengthy discussion at a December meeting so the board and city departments could review a preliminary traffic study that was completed the day of the meeting.

The site plan includes demolition of some of the warehouse building, while maintaining the central portion of it to house the first wave of students at the new Lowell Collegiate Charter School.

The public hearing on a special permit for the driveways on the site will begin Monday. The driveways require a special permit because they would be longer than 200 feet.

The Planning Board can grant a special permit if it determines the driveways would "provide safe and reasonable access for fire, police and emergency vehicles." Four votes are needed for special-permit approval.

The school, which would be run by SABIS Educational System, is set to open in September with 540 students in kindergarten through fifth grade. It will eventually expand to the 12th grade, reaching 1,200 students total.

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